The present invention relates to the field of the production of thin or solid metallic or semimetallic shaped elements and in particular silicon plates for photovoltaic uses.
It is known to produce silicon tapes or plates by solidification of the liquid entrained by capillary adhesion onto refractory supports. In such processes, the entrainment of the liquid is reduced as a result of the forces of gravity and instabilities of the surfaces and liquid meniscuses. Thus, these disadvantages lead to the solidification of small, relatively unusable surfaces or to carrying out, in a continuous process, a precise control or inspection of the liquid shapes prior to solidification. Moreover, it is difficult to envisage shapes other than plates or tapes.